Embroidery Thread Resource Guide - Questions Answered

Here's a Basic Guide to Embroidery Thread

Which Do You Think Is The Better Buy?
Pre-Wound Bobbins... or Self-Wound Bobbins?

Pre-wound bobbins actually win this one.
Turns out that pre-wound bobbins typically hold three times the amount of thread as their home-wound counterparts.

Useful Thread Resources:

• Bobbin Compatibility List
  Provides a collection of bobbin styles on more than 500 sewing machine brands.
• How Much Thread Does it Take to Quilt a Quilt?
  Get a great estimate on how much thread you will need for light, medium and heavy quilting from crib size to king size, so that you can collect your materials before-hand.
• How Tension Works Diagram
  It's important to work on getting your tension right on your machine, as this can be one of the leading reasons for thread breaks while embroidering if the tension is not setup right.

Major Thread Manufacturers

Manufacturers have an abundance of information on their sites from colors and weights available, to free projects and designs.

• DMC
• Floriani
• Isacord
• Madeira
• Mettler
• Presencia
• Robison Anton
• Sulky
• Superior Threads
• YLI

Color Cards, Conversion Charts and Converters

Everyone has their personal choices when it comes to thread brands. Many digitizers use their favorites when they create embroidery designs, which is great if you use the same brand. However, for those times when you don't, there are dozens of thread charts out there that cross reference colors in other brands. The best are the free thread conversion programs that quickly identify known equivalents across the market.

Most manufacturers will also provide color cards online with swatches of color arranged by individual thread number. It is a good rule of thumb to never fully rely on screen colors or color cards printed on home printers. There are simply too many variables in the various monitors and printers that are used. Making it nigh impossible for any two of the same color to view or print out exactly the same.
The best color cards are those created with samples of the actual thread.

• Ann the GranThese charts convert Brother, Isacord, and Madeira... to ARC, Sulky to Isacord.
• All ThreadsMassive converter of more than 23,000 embroidery thread colors, from more than 60 thread lines... to Robison-Anton.
• Embroidery DesignsConvert five major brands of thread (Robison-Anton, Madeira, Ackermann, Sulky and Marathon) at the same time. You can also search by Pantone color number or thread number.
• Isacord
• These charts are for eight different threads to Isacord.
• Madeira
  Madeira color cards and Pantone color match.
• Red Rock Threads
• Use these charts for Isacord, Madeira and Mettler... to Robison-Anton; Robison-Anton... to Isacord, Mettler and Sulky; and Sulky... to Robison Anton.
• Robison-AntonConvert Isacord, Madeira, Pantone and Sulky... to Robison-Anton. Also charts.
• SulkyConvert Robison-Anton, Madeira and DMC threads... to Sulky. Also links to downloadable rayon charts by color type or color family and cross references DMC floss to Sulky 12 wt. cotton for handwork.
• The Sewphisticated StitcherCharts will work for Brother, Coats, Janome, Melco ARC, Mettler and Sulky... to Madeira.
• Thread ArtCharts will work for Brother, Isocord, Madeira, Pantone, Robison-Anton and Sulky... to ThreadArt.
• Thread ExchangeConversion of 15 different threads... to Madeira.

Floss Color Cards and Conversion Charts

Fans of hand embroidery can also benefit from conversion charts as well.

• Stitching ToolsManufacturer conversion charts between Anchor, Coats, DMC, and Sullivans. Kit floss conversions of Bucilla, Candamar and Dimensions... to Anchor, DMC, Coats and Sullivans; and Design Works... to DMC.
• Sulky
  Cotton Petites 12 wt. thread chart, equivalent to two strands of typical embroidery floss.